Business
Sarumi Wants FG To Unbundle NPA
A former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Adebayo Sarumi, has urged the Federal Government to unbundle NPA for better performance.
Sarumi, who made the call at a public lecture in Lagos, said that there was the need for a strategic plan to reposition the Authority for the future.
He said, “NPA can be taken to the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange to raise enough funds.
“There will be attractive conditions for foreign direct investments as far as the port sector is concerned.”
Sarumi also suggested the establishment of a national fund to build more ports and expressed delight over the passage of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Act.
The maritime technocrat advised that NPA must partner with major global operators so as to move the organisation forward.
He said that such foreign partners should be world-class partners that could train NPA workers as technical regulators.
Also, a former Managing Director of the authority, Malam Bello Gwandu, suggested the Public Private Partnership scheme as a key to port development.
He said that Nigerian ports had become over-congested while the services were over-priced.
Gwandu also said that there were too many government agencies at the ports.
He said, “If the ports are run efficiently, it will make positive effect on costs. Our ports have become toll gates due to the storage systems.
“Goods are stored in the ports for too long and some companies are making monies on rents.”
He described Nigerian ports as archaic, adding that some of them were not well designed to cope with the current challenges.